Betting on the ponies at Scotty's Bar

Whether you’re a seldom gambler or a whale at the table, Scotty’s Bar in Kalispell is the only establishment in the Flathead Valley with Montana Simulcast Racing — off track betting on horse and dog races.

“It takes a whole setup,” Scotty’s Bar owner Karla Levengood said.

“We’ve got decoders in here which get the direct feeds from the tracks. It’s as if you’re sitting right there at the track and you don’t even have to be present to participate.”

Sawbucks Salon and Casino originally had the only OTB site in Kalispell, but when it became The Montana Club, Scotty’s was asked to host Montana Simulcast Racing. It has been a smashing success ever since.

“You know, it’s a nice addition to the bar.” Levengood said.

“It’s just something else that you can do. It’s a form of entertainment basically, instead of heading into a casino, it’s some live-track betting.”

Not to mention the excitement of a 1,000-pound horse storming down the track with money on the line.

“A lot of people don’t realize, if you get a long shot that comes in, it just takes one horse to turn the wheels. It’s really fun,” Levengood said.

“People are hootin’ and hollerin’ and it’s on a TV screen for darn sakes, yet people are screamin’ and yelling, ‘Go! Go! Go!’ It really is a lot of fun.”

Two-dollar bets on a horse not favored to win may not seem like it’s worth the time, but after this year’s Kentucky Derby, Scotty’s boasted the two largest winners in the state.

Two identical $48 bets paid off $15,381 ($11,536 after federal taxes) and one of the winners, Kalispell native Ann Wildebour, proves it doesn’t take an expert to win big.

Wildebour was one of the state’s biggest winner’s after being advised to bet every possible Trifecta Wheel combination—24 two-dollar bets.

“I’m not exactly sure what I did. I just kind of did what they told me to do. It was just kind of dumb luck,” Wildebour said with a laugh.

“I’m not a horse racing person. I don’t know anything. I have absolutely no skill. We went there to make a two-dollar bet. I would have been happy if we won enough to pay for breakfast. We were shocked. It was kind of a fun deal.”

Wildebour didn’t stay for the race after making the bets. She didn’t even know she had won until the next day, when Levengood, who must be present to cash out big tickets, gave Wildebour and her boyfriend a little smirk as they walked through the door.

“They came in and had absolutely no idea. I think they were just totally in awe. I don’t think they’ve ever won that much money before,” Levengood said.

“Well, we knew we won something,” Wildebour said.

“We came in for breakfast and (Levengood) kind of looked at us funny. Never in my wildest imagination did I think I had won so much. I’ve never won anything before.”

Wildebour said she plans to use the money for some overdue dental work and other wellness investments.

“It’s a huge blessing,” Wildebour added.

California Chrome, the winning horse of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, has made an a lot of people rich during his improbable run. The chestnut colt also hopes to end the longest drought of horse racing’s most prolific achievement — the Triple Crown.

After the horse named Sir Barton won the first ever Triple Crown in 1919, just 11 others have won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes in the same season, and it hasn’t been done since Affirmed won all three races in 1978.

Over 20 horses have won the first two races for the elusive title before falling in the Stakes.

This only adds to the intrigue of the wishful gambler. The odds are in favor of the bold.

“I expect it to be insane in here (on Saturday) for the Belmont,” Levengood said.

“Especially when you have an underdog in California Chrome and the Cinderella story behind it. I think that is the most exciting thing about it. Instead of having all of these Kentucky bred horses, you have this California bred horse from a one horse stable.”

Cinderella, underdog or long shot, call California Chrome whatever you’d like, but he’ll be riding with a lot on the line and riding for history this weekend.